By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos – A trader, Kingsley Osarogiagbon and a businesswoman, Tina Edosa, were on Thursday brought
before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court charged with N5.5 million theft and forgery of a death certificate.
The accused are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and forgery.
Police Prosecutor Peter Nwangwu said the accused committed the offences between Aug. 29, 2015 and Sept. 8, 2015 at No. 334,
Super in Agege on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Nwangwu alleged that the accused (Kingsley and Tina) forged the death certificate of Edosa Osarogiagbon.
“The case was reported to the police by Mrs Racheal Igbinekewa, one of the three wives of the late Edosa against the accused,
Kingsley, her brother-in-law and Tina, one Edosa’s wife.
“While the complainant was still mourning, the accused connived and obtained a letter of administration from the Justice Ministry
with a forged death certificate of the deceased.”
He also alleged that the accused stole N5.5million from the deceased’s benefits and converted it to their own personal use.
“All efforts made by the complainant for the accused to refund the money proved abortive.’’
The offences contravened Sections 287,365 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sections 287 and 365 provide three-year jail term each for offenders.
Section 411 stipulates two years for conspiracy.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Chief Magistrate Y.O. Aje-Afunwa granted the accused bail in the sum of N850, 000 each with two sureties each in
like sum.
Aje-Afunwa said the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos
State Government.
She adjourned the case until June 1.
